When Terry Kangas is working on Friday nights at Memorial Stadium this fall, believe it or not he can hear Sam Cooke singing.

“That’s the sound of the men working on the chain … gang.”

The late, great Cooke wrote that classic tune about 60 years ago. As popular as it was - and is - the song is not typically played by the pep bands during varsity football games in Great Falls.

This week's staff picks for We Pick the Winners.(Photo: Higgins, Grady, )

And that’s fine, but Terry can hear the tune anyway when he’s moving the chains up and down the field at Memorial Stadium.

“Yep, yep,” Terry said with a laugh. “Tim Bunker used to sing that song all the time when we were coaching Little League together. “So it’s always on my mind.”

Football is important to Terry, so it’s fitting he is the first Guest Guesser of the 2018 as our sports staff continues a tradition with the We Pick The Winner contest. Each week during the football season, Trib staffers Scott Thompson, Grady Higgins, Lee Vernoy and yours truly will be joined by a Guest Guesser in a prediction contest that we know has been popular with readers.

If you’d like to volunteer for Guest Guesser duty, drop me a line at smansch@greatfallstribune.com.

Terry has worked the chains, the duties of which include keeping track of yardage needed for first downs, for about 15 years at Memorial Stadium. He began with just the Bison games and last year added the CMR home games, too.

“It’s the best seat in the house,” Terry said of his sideline duty. “You can see the action, feel the hits and hear the strategy of the coaches. It really is a great place to watch football.”

Terry graduated from CMR in 1977. A longtime sports advocate in our town, he’s a vice president and senior staff accountant at DA Davidson in Great Falls. That job requires a lot of number-crunching, of course.

The boys on the chain gang have numbers to keep track of, too.

“You’ve got to keep your mind on what’s going on,” Terry said. “You can’t get wrapped up in the game too much, because you have to pay attention to the flags and the downs. You really have to stay focused.”

Of course, those of who write for a living realize there’s absolutely no cheering in the press box. Is it the same way down on the sideline for the chain gang?

“That’s right,” Terry said. “We’re part of the officiating crew, so we’re supposed to keep our yahoos to ourselves. And we try to do that the best we can.”

Terry works regularly with Bob Brook and Mike Osweiler. Bob’s wife, Kim, also has a role with the crew. Terry’s brother-in-law, Mike Beck, has also worked regularly on the chain gang. But he’s now serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The folks holding the yard markers are extremely close to the action. So it seems like a dangerous job.

“We’ve never had an accident,” Terry said. “You’ve got to pay attention. But it’s great. We get to watch the best high school football players in the state every weekend.”

Mike Osweiler is an uncle to pro quarterback Brock Osweiler. Mike’s late brother, Rich, was for years one of Terry’s best friends.

“I still miss Rich,” Terry said. “He was a great guy. We went to every high school football and basketball game that we could for years. It’s hard to replace that.”

Terry and Rich also shared a love of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They traveled together back in the day to South Bend, Ind., on a memorable trip to watch a Notre Dame football game.

Terry is also a big fan of the Montana Grizzlies and San Francisco 49ers.

“And I’ll root for the Montana State Bobcats if they’re not playing the Grizzlies,” Terry said. “I’ve known the Bleskin boys (Tanner and Jake, who both played football for the Cats) ever since they were little playing baseball in Great Falls.”

Terry and his wife, Wanda, have been friends to many Great Falls athletes over the years. Their family includes daughters Brittany and Brooke, and son Brady.

Brittany, a nurse, lives in Dallas with her husband, Buddy Francisco, and young sons Cash and Crew.

Brooke, an ultra-sound tech in radiology, lives in Great Falls with her husband, Jeremiah Watt, and young sons Keller and Miles.

Brady, a former American Legion baseball player and golfer during his high school days, is single and lives in Las Vegas, where he’s a field consultant for 7-Eleven stores.

This is the 33rd year in a row yours truly has been involved in We Pick The Winner, a contest started in the Great Falls Tribune more than 40 years ago by my old friend George Geise. We hope you continue to enjoy it.

Remember, if you’d like to volunteer to be a Guest Guesser, contact me at smansch@greatfallstribune.com.